ADELAIDE.- In a joint announcement Art Gallery of South Australia, Director, Nick Mitzevich has been revealed as the Curator of the 2014 Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art and Richard Grayson has been chosen to curate Adelaide International 2014, both events will run during the Adelaide Festival 2014.

Art Gallery of South Australia Chairman, Michael Abbott AO QC said, “The 2014 Adelaide Biennial aims to build upon the successes of Parallel Collisions: 12th Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art which achieved record attendance figures. The choice of Nick Mitzevich as curator demonstrates the Art Gallery’s commitment to both excellence and raising the bar on the nation’s foremost statement on contemporary Australian art.”

Established in 1990, the Adelaide Biennial is the country’s longest running survey of contemporary Australian art. It is the flagship visual arts event of the Adelaide Festival and represents the Art Gallery of South Australia’s dedication to showcasing up-to-the-minute works by Australian artists.

Nick Mitzevich has commenced work on the 2014 Adelaide Biennial, which will feature photography, painting, sculpture, installation and the moving image. Satellite exhibition spaces are also being explored and it is anticipated that a total of 25 artists from all states and territories will contribute to the Biennial.

“The Adelaide Biennial is highly regarded for its risk taking, expansive vision and desire to educate and inform the general public about contemporary Australian art. It has always successfully displayed the best contemporary work in the context of Australian artist’s engagement with the world in which we live. It is forward thinking, timely and perhaps uniquely capable of expressing the dominant concerns and position of the visual arts in our time,” Mr Mitzevich said.

“In its 13th iteration the Biennial will tap into the hearts and minds of contemporary Australian society, to explore the political, the psychological and the personal. I am after an inherently emotional and immersive experience, one that is unafraid to ask difficult questions and expose the underbelly of society,” he said.

Richard Grayson Artistic Director of 17th Biennale of Sydney (TheWorld May Be) Fantastic has been appointed as Curator of Adelaide International 2014, running simultaneously with the Biennial in March.

Adelaide Festival Artistic Director David Sefton said, “I am delighted to announce that Richard Grayson will be the Curator of Adelaide International 2014. Richard is keen to bring together a selection of work that has strong links to other shows and ideas I plan to include in the 2014 program.”

“I wanted to find someone to curate Adelaide International that would work in collaboration to bring the performing and visual arts in the festival closer together. Richard is a great appointment not only is he an artist, writer and curator he has worked extensively on an international basis and he has also spent time living and working here in Adelaide.”

Adelaide International is an exhibition that features a range of contemporary visual work from artists based outside Australia. 2014 will be the third Adelaide International and the third time the exhibition will be sponsored by the University of South Australia.

Richard Grayson began work on Adelaide International earlier this year. It is expected that ten artists from at least four countries will exhibit work across four of the cities venues.

Richard Grayson Adelaide International Curator said, “Returning to Adelaide to curate Adelaide International is an exciting prospect. I am keen to select a range of work that fits in to the whole festival experience.With both the Biennial and International running at the same time there is an exceptional opportunity for people to see a significant body of work during the Adelaide Festival and it’s great to be part of that experience.”